Gaming devices provide enjoyment and excitement to players, in part, because they may ultimately lead to monetary awards for the players. Gaming devices also provide enjoyment and excitement to players because they are fun to play. Bonus features, in particular, provide gaming device manufacturers with the opportunity to add enjoyment and excitement to that which is already expected from a base game of the gaming device. Bonus features provide additional gaming experiences to the player.
Gaming devices in most jurisdictions are typically games of luck, not skill. They are configured on average to pay back a certain percentage of the amount of money wagered. The hit frequency in most wagering games is set high enough that any player who plays a few hands or spins of the reels wins on one of the games. That is, in most wagering games players are likely to achieve some level of success.
While the outcomes of wagering games are determined at least in part by luck, the player controls one important component, namely the wager or amount of the wager. Wagering games commonly require a minimum bet, for example, at least a nickel along one payline of a slot machine. The wagering games also have maximum wagers such as five nickels on each of the nine paylines of a slot machine or $0.25 per payline for a total maximum bet of $2.25 per play of the wagering game. For each play of the wagering game, the player decides how high to wager, for example, five cents or multiples thereof up to $0.25.
The ability to vary the wager provides the player with a sense of control. Increasing a wager during winning streaks and decreasing the wager during losing streaks benefits the player. The ability to vary the wager also benefits the casino because the ability provides control to the player, enhancing the gaming experience, without changing the average expected payback percentage of the wagering game.
It is therefore desirable to increase or enhance the player's control over the wager and the awards won, further enhancing the gaming experience, and to do so in a manner which is entertaining and encourages the player to play for longer periods of time.